The Broken Road
by AuroraTenchi
Summary: Yami is a motorcycleriding rebel who always had people pursue him. He's never cared to pursue anyone, until he runs into a boy he can't stay away from. YYxY Rating may go up later, I'm not sure...
1. The Stranger

Hey! I came up with this a long long time ago. I think it was just out of the blue. Maybe from a 'Wild Hogs' commercial I don't know... Anyway, I thought it was a cute idea and I have no clue where this story is going to go. This should be fun.

I do not own Yugioh but I do own this nice little thing I'm doing with Yami being Mr. Coolio! Coolio, yes, I've heard it before! At least I think it's a word...

I do not own Yugioh.

**0173481561435892378451034138904754237658160498023748965784326748618746**

He was a loner for years. He always considered himself a bad boy. But in his early years of breaking away, the best he could do was drink from the milk carton and buy condoms he would never use. Then he turned 18 and moved out. He got a minimum wage job and bought a motorcycle the first day he got the money. His parents didn't do much to stop him. They had their own problems. Alcoholics actually. So they didn't even know they had a problem to begin with. Yami was more than happy to leave.

Five years later, Yami Atemu was a free spirit. He'd moved to America with his motorcycle as his fellow stow-away. A friend from a shipping business made him a crate on a trade ship and the rest is history. Yami got by getting jobs that lasted a month before heading off on the road again. Anyone unfortunate enough to work with him didn't talk to him much. His tatoos and buff body were enough to scare many away. Except for some women.

Yami never sought out anyone. They sought out him. At least if the girls were insane enough to bother him in the first place. He didn't speak to many people. Sure, his English wasn't a problem. He just wanted to be alone unless sex was in the vocabulary. One-night stands weren't scarce in his world. He would usually drive his suitors to insanity before following them home. Sexual tension was built up so that he was motivated to get the best of each before heading off the next day.

His ship had dropped him off in San Francisco. Yami decided on a cross-country trip with his bike. What would become of him after his journey was over, he had no idea. Still, he was a believer that the trip was just as much fun as the destination. His first purchase in America was a pair of sunglasses that suited him just fine. He refused to take them off even during work. If the threat of being fired came about, that was just fine with him. He would just take his gas money and leave. To where he was leaving to, he had no idea.

Texas was a nice enough place. No one to bother him for miles in some cases. It was just a baron landscape with some plains and some hills and that was basically it. He glanced at his gas meter and rolled his eyes. Damn it was low, and not a gas station in sight. He let out a puff of smoke from his cigarette between his teeth.

One car passed during his search for a gas station. He revved his engine as he began to go over a slope. At the top, he saw grass. Finally, something other than brown ground and rocks. And a broken gass station stood amongst the never-mowed grass. Yami frowned. Didn't look occupied, but beggars couldn't be chosers. He headed down the hill and saw a sign, indicating a town eight miles away. Thank God! His next stop. He flicked his cigarette away and sped up.

He pulled into the station and saw one man sitting just outside wearing a baseball cap. He nodded to Yami, who only rolled his eyes and dismounted his bike. He growled. Stupid high gas prices were going to make him work longer here. Oh well, as long as he wasn't going to spend all eternity there. He had felt that way in Japan. America symbolized freedom, and so far, he was getting it for the most part.

"Money..." he grumbled. An anchor that made him have to stop for jobs in the first place. Sure the girls who wanted him enough contributed. He still found no point in having freedom with money. That and people who didn't want him were just in his way. He didn't want to stop for anything. At least he had never stayed for anything important. Nothing was really worthy stopping for. Necessities were the only things holding him down at the time.

He filled up his tank and felt his stomach pinch a little with hunger. He felt his pocket. He could afford a bag of chips and a Coke maybe. He began walking accross the pavement towards the main building. From out of nowhere, a beat up grey and blue pickup pulled up and zoomed in front of him, splashing leftover water and whatever it was, all over Yami. He growled and shook his arms.

"Bastard," he said under his breath. If he were to ever meet that driver...

The bell rang as he opened the door. The cashier began to smile at him, but stopped when he saw that his new customer wasn't in a good mood and was wearing black to top it off. Yami grabbed a bag of Doritos and a six pack. Screw Coke, he would need something more to get him through this place.

As he approached the counter, the bell sounded again. Yami smirked. It was probably that truck driver.

"Hey Yugi! How are you?" the cashier said to the other man, putting on his bright smile again.

Yami looked puzzled. That's an odd name.

"I'm okay I guess. I'm just thirsty. Think you got any beer left?" answered Yugi.

"This man has the last six pack," the cashier answered.

Yugi crossed his arms over his chest. "Oh really?"

Yami finally turned around to face this "Yugi." Imediately, his eyes got immencely bigger. Not because of his resemblance to the man, but at Yugi's large amethyst eyes. They were...pretty. No, they were gorgeous. He was beautiful! Yami felt a flutter in his stomach. Shit, he hadn't ever felt that before. He wasn't supposed to. But this boy...

"You got a name stranger?" Yugi asked in a testy tone.

Yami smiled. "I'm Yami," he said as he extended his hand out to Yugi.

Yugi glanced down at Yami's hand and then back up to examine his face. "You here to cause problems tough guy?" he asked.

"What?" Yami asked, looking over his black attire. He smirked and smoothed back his hair. "Course not. I'm here looking for a job. Think you can help me?"

"I doubt it," Yugi said.

The cashier looked between the two men during a lull in the conversation.

"Anything else Yugi?"

Yugi bit his tongue and nodded as he continued to examine the stranger. "Maybe some Pepsi if you don't have beer."

"Wait!" Yami said, extending his hand with the six pack in it toward Yugi. "I want you to have it." He tried smiling at Yugi.

Yugi mumbled a 'thanks' as he took it from Yami's hand. He paid for it and began walking towards the door. Yami tried not to drool as he saw the boy's leather pants make his ass stick out. And he swayed it pretty nicely too.

"Hey Hector," Yugi called back when he paused at the door.

"Yeah?"

"Tell this "Yami" character that it's not polite to stare at strangers' asses."

Hector snorted as Yugi hautily walked out to his truck. Yami ran to the door in time to catch Yugi pull out of the gas station and make a left. Left, he had to remember that. He smiled.

"Hey buddy, you gonna pay for the gas and chips or do I have to call the cops?" Hector called.

"Yugi..." Yami whispered to himself as he turned back toward the counter.

**IMHEREWITHOUTYOUBABYBUTYOURESTILLWITHMEINMYDREAMS**

There you go! That's chapter one! And I have no clue what the rest of the plot is. I have two more scenes in my head but absolutely nothing otherwise. I'm hoping to get more ideas through all the studying for finals that are in less than two weeks.

Well, I'm surprised I haven't told you this, but I'm going to a writing camp June 11-15 and I am REALLY excited! I get to stay at a college( the one I really wanna go to!) and even get lessons from their professors! So between studying and camp, my schedule is tight. Have a great Memorial Day in America and please review!


	2. Yugi's Surprise

Hey there everyone! It's summer and I hope Yugi had a great birthday. I may update after this sometime over the weekend, I may not. I'm going to camp in four days so we'll see. Writing camp! Anywho, thanks a lot for your patience and here's chapter two! Ooh, I'm watching Rent. ...Focus! lol

**525600MINUTES525600MOMENTSSODEAR525600MINUTESHOWDOYOUMEASUREAYEAR**

"That's great! Stay right there!"

A quick bright light flashed through the room and Yugi lowered his camera. He smiled at the woman on the red couch infront of the blackground. She wore a blue striped bikini and had short brown, wavy hair.

"Okay, you wanna sit on the floor, rest your arms on the couch and throw your hair back. Maybe we can get a picture from the top of that ladder," Yugi directed.

The woman did as she was told.

"You want my mouth open?" she asked.

Yugi shook his head. "No, not this time."

Yugi walked over to his briefcase and rustled through his equipment.

He'd been a photographer since getting out of college. Though his town was small, it had enough good jobs to keep many people around. Mostly, it was a bohemia, especially the humble internet photographer. Yugi was the head of that department due to his education. Most of the people in his little hometown didn't bother to go to college unless they were truly dedicated to their art. Sure, it wasn't Vienna, Austria for the artists around, but it was home to Yugi.

He'd grown up here. And that was enough to keep him there. His parents had been writers themselves. Yugi had grown up doing the visual art with his parents backing him up by making sure that he had a place at the local newspaper his father worked for. Photography became his life as he carried a camera to school every. He eventually made a slide show of high school life when he was 17. He sent it to a national contest and ended up getting second place. A year later, one of the young judges called him and met him at Yugi's favorite restrant. The man, Seto, was very kind and loving and Yugi soon found himself on a plane to New York with him.

They lived together for a year. Yugi had never told his parents where he was. They had always believed in finding the inner meaning of things and experimenting with the world to find your place. To Yugi, the year went by quickly, then it dragged on.

Seto had started out in his loving way, showing Yugi around the city and keeping him company at night. But eventually, he ignored Yugi and snapped at him anytime he wanted anything. Eventually, his yelling became light smacking, then all out hitting. Yugi quickly gathered up his things and returned home.

Things had changed when he got back. The town was smaller as far as population. And to his horror, he found that his parents had died in a car crash. A childhood friend, Joey, took him in and they became roomates. Joey was a painter and a drawer. He considered his girlfriend, Mai, to be his muse. Yugi's only muse was anyone who happened to come in and pose for his website which consisted mainly of nude photos and some landscapes. Yugi got his income from the site and any magazines he sent his work to.

Yugi didn't mind not having a significant other for a muse. Hell, he was through with love. After his first boyfriend betrayed him, he figured trying girls would be useless. Girls wanted men with money and looks. Sure, Yugi was adorable with his petite figure and gorgeous amethyst eyes, but he had the looks of a gay man more with his childish looks. He didn't mind that, because he was. It was part of the free expression he believed in. His looks were a part of that. And that newcomer, Yami...

Yugi frowned when his thoughts turned to him. How dare he look like him and act as if they were automatically an object. He didn't even know him! To Yugi, he was a nusance who was hopefully only passing by on a ride to wherever. A...hot nusance actually. Okay, so they didn't look exactly alike. Yami had crimson eyes that were more narrow than Yugi's. He was also taller and had a pretty buff body. Yugi shook the images out of his head. It was next to impossible though. As a visual artist, taking mental pictures was a habit that was automatic.

And the more Yugi pictured the stranger, the more he mentally drooled. He growled out of frustration and he wiped off his lens.

_Stop that Muto! You're in out of your head! This is stupid thinking about a troublemaker who could be worse than Seto! _he yelled to himself in his head.

He smiled at his client and put aside his daydreams of the stranger. He climbed the ladder and angled the camera in just the right way.

"Mr. Muto?"

Yugi grunted. "What?"

The man at the door paused. "I"m sorry to disturb you, but there's a visitor for you who won't go away."

"Couldn't you tell him I'm busy?" Yugi asked as the clicking of the camera persisted.

"I did, but he still refuses to leave."

"Got a name?"

"I think he said, Yami?"

Yugi's eyes shot open and he looked up from his camera.

_Good Lord, what's he thinking?_ Yugi screamed in his head. Then he found himself decending the ladder. _What the Hell am I thinking...?_

**HOWABOUTLOVEHOWABOUTLOVESEASONSOFLOVESEASONSOFLOVE**

There it is! I actually have a plot in mind now! At first, I had no clue how to go on past chapter 3. Now I do! Hopefully I'll get more inspiration at camp. Please review! Thanks as always! Here's some of Yugi's b-day cake for the reviewers!


	3. Switching Emotions

Blah, nothing to say. Just read!

**QOIEURYREUEWURYQTIUHJAKFLLFHZCVBNAFDJHLJKHGFADSJHFQUEYRUOIQY**

_He began to descend the ladder. What the Hell was he thinking?_

"Did you want to see him?" the man asked.

Yugi held up a hand. "Just wait a minute. I'll be right back," he said as calmly as possible. Inside, he was seething. How dare he come here while he was working! Still, it was rather...flattering that he came looking for him.

Yugi's mind went back and fourth from flattery to anger so many times that he didn't even realize it when he came downstairs and into the lobby full of couches and tables.. Yami stood beside the open door, his arms crossed over his chest. He smirked when Yugi walked in.

He stayed quiet as he watched Yugi look around the room with a confused look on his face. He was even cuter than he remembered. Maybe it was just his confused look that made him appear that way. Either way, the sight of Yugi made Yami happy and calm. Though he didn't want to feel that way, he liked it. He'd never persued anyone before, he was the one being persued. He knew he would still get his way in the end. He stepped out from behind the door.

"You are a hard man to reach," he said.

Yugi jumped a good foot in the air and spun around. A look of surprise stayed on his face as he debated wheather to smile or scowl. He finally decided on a pout. Yami drooled at it.

"What are you doing here? I was busy," Yugi said in a stern voice.

Yami shrugged. "I need someone to show me around town," he insisted.

"Look, it's been two days since you came here. You obviously had someone help you up to this point."

Yami shook his head. "I didn't have any help."

Yugi raised his eyebrows. "So you followed me?" he asked.

Yami nodded. Yugi threw his arms up in the air. Again, the feeling of flattery passed over him right along with the wave of rage.

"You had no right to follow me!" he yelled.

"Here me out," Yami said. "I watched which way you headed after you left the gas station. I got a job at the burger place two blocks over. I went through those yellow pages and found you right away. But you know the rules of waiting a while." He smirked.

"Well, you wasted your time finding me for whatever twisted purpose you had in your head," Yugi said.

"Who says me liking you is a bad thing?"

Yugi almost jumped out of his skin but decided on a glare. "You what?" he cried. "Everyone who has morals will think it's a bad thing!"

"Do you think it's a bad thing?" Yami asked, his eyes getting soft.

Yugi stuttered for a moment, his lips getting numb. "You are disrupting my work..." he said. "Of course it's a problem if I can't get anything done around here."

Yami nodded. "Yeah, sorry about that, but I didn't know what you did or when you do it."

"I-I'm a photographer," Yugi answered. "We have a website here."

Yami nodded. "Hey, you wanna, you know, go get a bite to eat?"

Yugi's mood went right back to anger in an instant. It came so fast he didn't even have time to stop it.

"What the Hell? You think you can walk in here with your badass attitude, find out one thing about me and then you ask me out? It's guys like you that made me stop dating in the first place."

"So you are gay?" Yami asked.

Yugi scoffed. "Is it any of your business? I never said that!"

"But you said guys," Yami said.

"Just people in general okay?" Yugi yelled, his pout creeping onto his face again.

Yami drooled and quickly licked his lips to catch it. Yugi of course, noticed and glared for real.

"See that! That's what I'm talking about! You city boys are all the same!" He turned to the stairs.

"Yugi, please, don't go! I can't help what I feel. Trust me, it happend all at once. But, I feel like...I might more than like you. When you walked into the store..." he couldn't go on. His words were probably hurting his case more than helping him. "I don't want anything more from you now than to just spend time with you."

"Oh yeah, doing what?" Yugi asked.

Yami found himself at a loss for words. He mentally slapped himself for it.

"Just...come to lunch with me?" he asked.

Yugi stepped onto the first stair. "I'd rather not," he muttered. He began to head back up.

"Yugi!"

He turned around, which was a surprise to both men.

"Just know, I'm not leaving until we talk."

"We just did."

Yugi made sure that his steps were heard and that he slammed the door at the top. Sure, he like Yami, but he couldn't risk it. He couldn't risk getting into something he couldn't stop and then be left hanging.

He could picture it. They would fall in love. He'd be happy and so in love that he would let Yami take him out to a bar one night, and they'd head back to Yugi's place and probably make love. Then Yugi would wake up in the morning and find Yami gone and he'd be left sitting in bed crying.

Yami was a drifter, it was bound to happen.

But still...Yugi probably already loved him.

_Downstairs..._

Yami waited five minutes in the lobby before heading outside. He walked back to the restrant and sat down at one of the outside tables. He twirled around the straw inside of the drink he had ordered for Yugi earlier. He's expected him to say yes, but it was harder than Yami had anticipated.

He let out a long sigh and glanced around the downtown street. He raised his eyebrows when he looked straight accross the street. He smiled. He hadn't noticed that flower store before.

He ran accross the street and ordered a bouquet of red roses. Not very original, but they were for Yugi and no one else. They were a gift to show his feelings. He hoped Yugi would see that.

He crept back inside the photography lobby and set the bouquet on the desk in the corner. He grabbed a pen and wrote his message on the card. He kissed one of the flowers and tiptoed to the top of the stairs, placing the roses at the top. He quietly exited the building and headed off to work.

"Atemu! Why are you late?" his boss snapped when he arrived.

Yami just shrugged.

_Love_, he thought.

**GOMENNASAIILETYOUDOWNGOMENNASAITOTHEENDINEVERNEEDAFRIENDLIKEIDONOW**

Hehe, I'm wathcin an AMV with a lemon doujinshi on it! Anywho, that's that for this chapter! I had an absolutely great time at camp! My teachers were so great and I learned a little something about style and other stuff. Now I'm home with my parents... So make me feel better by reviewing! Thanks again!


	4. Journeys

Chapter 4, here we are! It will refer to a part of the series, specifically episode 163. I don't own that either! Here's the chapter!

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Two days had passed since the roses, and Yami hadn't recieved any response from Yugi. He came to work, hoping to at least catch a glimpse of Yugi. He worked in the back making the food, but he stuck his head out towards the front counter. Beyond it was the parking lot outside. No matter how many times he took a peek, he never saw Yugi.

The afternoon was hot as usual. Yami had gotten used to it over time. His stops in southern California and Arizona had made him adjust to the heat. He didn't even mind that he was working the grill that day. If this was condition under which he would wait for Yugi, then so be it. He fell into a daydream of Yugi and continued to work, completely unaware of his surroundings. The front door opened, but he didn't notice.

"Small fry and salad out here!" called the cashier. Yami made what he was told to and passed on the food without raising his head.

"How's the job going?" the cashier asked the customer.

"Same old, same old," the customer said. "Got enough stuff for a possible book!"

Yami raised his head. He recognized that voice!

"Glad to hear it! See ya around!" the cashier called. Yami heard the front door open, then close. He jumped out from his post.

He pulled his apron and hat off as fast as he could and thrust them into the cashier's hands. The man gave Yami a confused look. Yami jumped over the counter.

"My shift's over!" he called as he ran outside.

Just as he thought, it had been Yugi. Yami saw him walking slowly towards his pickup, plucking fries out of his bad one at a time.

"Hey!" he called.

Yugi spun around. "Hi." His voice held no emotion, which Yami interpreted as a good thing. At least he knew that Yugi wasn't angry.

But now the problem was that Yami had lost his voice. He stammered for a moment, watching Yugi stare at him. Yugi's eyes narrowed a little as he stuck another fry in his mouth.

"You know you could have taken your time. I was walking slowly. I figured you would do this."

Yami rubbed the back of his head nervously.

"I got the roses."

"Yeah? D-did you like them?" Yami asked hopefully.

Yugi nodded slightly. "I did."

Yami grinned sheepishly. "Good." He paused. "So, uh, where you going?"

Yugi tilted his head, a fry sticking out of his mouth. He looked so adorable to Yami.

"What does it matter to you?" he asked.

Yami shrugged. "My shift is over, and I don't have enough money for the hotel tonight..." he quickly covered his mouth hearing the words coming out of his own mouth. Yugi frowned, having heard the words himself.

"You can come, but I'm dropping you off here right after!" he said flatly.

Yami bit his lip and followed Yugi to the truck. Without a word from either man, Yugi started the car and backed it out and pulled onto the street. It was silent for a couple miles before Yami spoke.

"I'm sorry, that came out really wrong," he said. "If I've offended you-"

"You're in my car aren't you?" Yugi said.

Yami nodded. "Yeah, tha-that's good. It's a step forward."

"You know the card in the flowers didn't have to be so cheesey," Yugi said.

"What?"

Yugi kept his eyes on the road and reached down into a basket between the seats. Yami watched his hand curiously. Then Yugi pulled out the pink card. He read it with narrow eyes.

_Yugi, I'm not leaving until we share this wonderful feeling of love. You can trust me._

Yugi raised an eyebrow and let the card fall back into the basket.

Before Yugi said anything else, Yami chimed in.

"You kept the card?" he asked.

Yugi's eyes widened for a split second before he regained his cool and shrugged. "It's not every day I get one of those."

"Really? You?" Yami asked.

Yugi nodded. "I was never the popular one at school."

Yami nodded in understanding. "I didn't have much of a childhood. My parents didn't pay attention to me. You know, in Japan, we-"

"You know what?" Yugi said. "Let's just not talk about that kind of stuff. In fact, let's not talk at all."

Yami looked at the floor. "Alright."

Yugi thrust his pointer finger at him. "You talked!"

With that remark, Yami saw Yugi do something he had wanted to see for days. He saw Yugi's smile. Not a smirk. Not a smug smile. A happy smile.

_Later..._

Yugi had turned down an unpaved road that was extremely bumpy. Yami found himself even tightening his seatbelt. Yugi seemed to be focused and determined to get to wherever they were going. Eventually, trees were a distant memory as they entered the mountains.

The car stopped on a mountainside and Yugi climbed out. Yami stayed put.

Yugi frowned. "Aren't you coming?" he asked.

Yami clambered out of the truck and slowly approached Yugi who stood on a ledge. Luckily, the ledge looked over a part of the mountain that was slanted and even enough to walk on. Yugi nodded in approval and began down the slope. Yami looked down at the bottom to see a valley in between the many mountains. A round stone stood in the middle of the unusually round valley.

"Hey! Keep up or I'll leave you here later!" Yugi called from the bottom.

Yami took a step forward off of the ledge, then another. He quickened his pace. Then, unvoluntarily, he began running as gravity pulled him down. He raced down the slope and passed Yugi. Eventually, he was able to stop once he had gone 20 feet from the bottom of the slope. Yugi burst out laughing.

"You don't know how many times I did that when I first started coming here!" he chimed. He approached a frozen Yami.

"W-where is 'here'?" Yami asked.

"The Wilderness of Stones," Yugi answered. "I come here to reflect. To look at myself."

Yami tilted his head and followed Yugi into the circle. "It's the past," Yugi said. "It molds what we chose to do in the future. It shows us what we've done wrong."

"What have you done wrong?" Yami asked.

Yugi sighed. "I've trusted people." He stepped up on the round stone.

"Is that a bad thing?" Yami asked.

Yugi closed his eyes and threw out his arms. "Yes." he said in a whisper. "I've come here to forgive."

Yami's eyes softened. He felt bad for the little angel. Who could hurt him.

"Love is a complicated thing," Yugi went on. "Without trust, it doesn't exist. I thought mine existed a long time ago. But...eventually, people do something to not deserve it."

Yugi took a couple deep breaths and Yami let his words sink in. What had he done to hurt someone. Perhaps his forwardness with Yugi was making him hurt. Maybe him leaving his parents hurt them. Perhaps they did care. He shook his head. The women. He'd had so many since he arrived in America. Nothing ever came of them. Because he wouldn't let it. His eyes shot open. Was the the one who needed forgiving from someone? From Yugi?

"He was...what I thought was everything," Yugi said. Yami hung his head. A tear glinted in his eye as the sunlight hit it. Evening would soon descend upon them, but neither man moved.

Eventually, Yami looked up at Yugi, who still had his eyes closed. In the sun, and the emotion of the moment, he finally realized it was love that had overtaken him. He had thought he had loved the women, but he hadn't. He'd used them in his search for the one.

"I'm sorry..." Yami whispered.

Yugi's eyes opened slowly and he looked down at Yami. He smiled tenderly.

"I forgive you."

The two men stared at each other for the longest time. Eventually, Yugi stepped down and broke their eye contact.

"Feel better?" he asked.

Yami nodded. Yugi pursed his lips. "Then let's go."

**130987463761780634758627863487686106347868926439576106034571524651789345891475824**

That's the chapter! I estimate this to be about ten chapters long so there's tons of more fun on the way! Please review! Tho I'm planning to take a short break from writing. Three updates in three days! Yeah, don't want to get the parents suspicious now do we? Thanks a lot for all the reviews and support! As always, you rock! Cake for everyone!


	5. Tears and love

Hey! I hope everyone had a good weekend!

About the last chapter: Yes, it's the same wilderness of stones from the DOMA saga. I just thought it was great symbolism in it. I had estimated where it was when I watched the anime. I just figure it was in Texas. I've actually never been to Texas and I'm glad that residents of the state like this story.

And here comes the next chapter! Nnnnnnnow!

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The drive back to town was in complete silence. Yami stared blankly out the window and watched the landscape become greener and greener. Yugi kept his eyes on the road only. Yami glanced at Yugi a couple times, but quickly looked away before Yugi could notice.

Yugi's eyebrows lowered in frustration. Had he said that he forgave Yami, or people in general? If he had forgiven Yami, it would probably give the man the wrong idea. Or rather, the right idea. He shook his head. Yugi did love Yami. He figured it out after he saw Yami's emotions pour out at the Valley. He let out a long breath and kept driving.

Yami let the window go up, then down, then up, then down. He finally stopped when Yugi raised his eyebrows. He finally rested his elbow on the side of the door and put his chin on his fist. He bit his lip. What was he going to say or do when they got back to the restrant? Would he just thank Yugi for driving him? Would he kiss his cheek? Would he just not thank him at all.

In all of his thinking, Yami didn't even notice when they drove right past the restrant.

His eyes widened when he didn't recognize the neighborhood. There was a bigger amount of trees than he had expected. Many housed lined the narrow road.

"What the Hell?" Yami said.

"You must be hungry," Yugi said flatly.

Yami raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, but I can make my own food at work."

Yugi scoffed and pulled into the driveway of a small brick house. He climbed out of the truck. Yami fumbled his way out of the car after him.

"That's not real food anyway," Yugi answered, looking through his keys. He found his housekey and walked up the front walkway up to the porch with a swing.

Taking a step into the livingroom, Yami noticed that it wasn't very clean right away. Many articles of clothing and random objects littered the floor. He chuckled. Yugi spun around.

"What's so funny?" he asked.

Yami shrugged. "I just-you know. I thought that you would have a cleaner place.

Yami suddenly found a dirty shirt that was once on the floor, in his face. When he removed it, Yugi was out of sight. He made his way to the doorway and navigated his way to the kitchen. Yugi stood at a counter with a small brown box in front of him.

"What are you doing?" Yami asked.

"Checking recipes. You like pasta?" Yugi answered.

Yami shrugged. "I'm okay with it. But again, you really don't have to make me anything."

Yugi rolled his eyes. "You can't just live off of fast food your whole life. You need a homecooked meal one of these days," he said.

Yami nodded. "You don't have to start for a while. I'm not hungry right now."

Yugi frowned. "It's getting dark outside."

"I know."

"Know what?"

"That it's late. But that doesn't mean I'm necessarily hungry."

Yugi nodded. "I'll just make something smaller then. Maybe I'll warm up some leftovers."

"That's fine."

Finally, Yugi couldn't take the smalltalk. He groaned and spun around to face Yami.

"You know what? Scratch food then. Let's just sit."

"Sit?"

"And talk!"

Yami raised an eyebrow. "I thought you didn't want to talk."

"No!" Yugi snapped. "That was in the car. This is at home. I want to talk."

"About what?"

Yugi shrugged, his arms were crossed over his chest. "Oh, I don't know. Who are you? I can tell you're not a total bad-ass personality."

Yami feigned being offended. "Are you saying I'm not a good bad-boy?" he said.

"Not when you cry in the middle of nowhere in front of another person."

Yami hung his head. "I guess...My past isn't the greatest. My parents ingnored me. I ran here to escape the life that they wanted for me."

Yugi's smiled dissapeared. "Yeah. I ran away too. A few years ago, I fell in love. I followed the guy to his home in New York. We were great but..."

Yugi let his voice drift off. He looked up into Yami's eyes. They were soft and pained. Yami looked like he cared. Like he wanted to hear whatever painful things Yugi had to say.

"H-he began hitting me and making me have sex with him whenever he wanted to. He ignored me. I finally escaped and when I came back, my parents were dead. They died in a car crash. I never said goodbye when I left. They were good people. They loved me. Sometimes I wish I had returned the favor."

"I'm sure they'd understand," Yami whispered.

A tear escaped Yugi's eye. "I know. But, I was so foolish. I was being stupid and didn't tell them that I loved them before I left. I had always passed myself off as the goody goody kid. But when I got the opportunity to run away, I took it without thinking." He sighed. "I wish I could take it back every day. Perhaps my ex was my punnishment."

Yugi wiped his eyes and looked back up at Yami, whose eyes were locked on the wounded angel in front of him. Yami reached out and cupped Yugi's face in his hands.

"Trust me, they forgive you."

Before Yugi had a chance to respond and protest, Yami leaned in and kissed Yugi's lips chastely. He pulled away.

"Sorry..."

Yugi touched his lips with his fingers and looked up at Yami. He took Yami's face in his hands and pulled him in for another kiss. This time, the two held it for as long as they could. After breaking for air, they continued, this time exploring each others' mouths with their tongues.

This time, when they broke for air, Yugi put his hand to Yami's mouth and took his hand. He gently tugged on Yami's arm and led him to the bedroom.

Despite his complete surprise, Yami took the opportunity as delicately as possible. He was slow with Yugi. He didn't want their lovemaking to spark any unpleasant memories of his past. When Yugi lay naked before him, Yami said a silent prayer of thanks to God, if there was a god. He decided though, if an angel like Yugi existed, there must be one.

He not only thanked God for Yugi's beautiful body, but his kind and tender spirit. Though Yugi had been the one to take him to the bedroom, he too was slow and delicate in his movements. He moved the way Yami had imagined angels to move. His coos and cries of pleasure filled Yami's ears and made the man want to sing. He ran his fingers over Yugi's skin. It felt like a wonderful electricity coursing through his fingers. Yami cried out Yugi's name many times in the dark room. Yugi did the same for Yami's name.

In the night, two people came together in the beautiful act of love. As Yami came into Yugi, Yugi's eyes opened, they sparkled in the moonlight that leaked through the windown. Yugi came as the two lovers stared into each other's eyes. Yami pulled out of Yugi and held him, hoping his simple gesture would show a little devotion.

They fell asleep like that. Before they had fallen asleep, the lay awake in each other's arms whispering sweet nothings. They laid togher, naked in bed, just touching each other and taking in the scents and sights around them. As Yugi's eyes drooped in sleep, Yami leaned itno his ear.

"I love you."

Yami didn't know if it was real, or if it was the fatigue talking, but Yugi said the words in return.

"I love you too."

Sleep overtook both of them eventually. Both carelessly in love, neither thinking of the future.

**IDIEWITHOUTYOUNODAYBUTTODAY**

Hehe, RENT again! Man I love the music for that... Anywho, that's chapter five! Despite the cheesy ending and the very general lemon, that is not the last chapter! We're actually only halfway done! So please review! Again, thanks a lot and you're all awesome!


	6. Awakenings

Whole house to myself! Woopee! Here's chapter 6.

**AMOMENTLIKETHISSOMEPEOPLEWAITALIFETIMEFORAMOMENTLIKETHIS**

Yami woke up in the morning wondering where he was at first. Rain pattered on the window and made him feel even more groggy with it's rhythm. When he was fully awake, his mind finally registered everything that had happened. Still tired, Yami reached out his arm and felt the other side of the bed. Empty.

His eyes shot open and he jumped out of bed. He quickly retrieved his boxers from the top of the lamp (How the Hell did that get there? he wondered), and the rest of his clothes from accross the bedroom floor. He stumbled around the room, trying to put his clothes on as fast as he could. He ran out to the hallway.

"Yugi?" he called. There was no answer.

"Yugi!" This time, he yelled. He ran frantically to the kitchen. The smell of coffee was still in the air. Yami spun around and went to the living room. He sighed with relief when he saw Yugi sitting in the chair in the corner. He was wearing a light green robe and held a mug in his hand. He stared at the floor with empty eyes.

Yami slowly approached him. He placed a hand on Yugi's shoulder gently. Yugi looked up at him, his eyes heavy.

"Yugi, what's wrong?" Yami asked. "Was I- I mean... About last night-"

"Last night."

Yami nodded. "Are you okay? Did you like it?" he stammered. Mentally, he hit himself. What kind of question was that supposed to be?

"Yugi, I wasn't lying when I said I love you," Yami said.

Yugi shook his head. "Neither was I..."

Yami smiled. He opened his mouth to speak, but Yugi cut him off.

"At least I thought I wasn't."

"What do you mean?" Yami asked.

Yugi stood up to meet Yami's eyes. "Last night was great, you're not bad, I'll give you that."

Yami contained his smirk to the contents of his mind.

"But I don't know you. I don't know what you've done. I don't know where you've been. You don't know those things about me!"

"Sure I do!" Yami insisted. "You grew up here and ran off to New York with some asshole." He felt his voice rise against his own will to not hurt Yugi, but he couldn't stop it.

"No, Yami. That's not my whole story! We don't even know each other and when we talk for five seconds, you think we know each other enough to have sex?"

"Hey, you took me to the bedroom!" Yami snapped. "Remember? You can't pin this all on me!"

"I know! But you could have stopped me!"

"You could have stopped yourself!" Yami yelled back. "Whatever happened to that tender man I made love to last night? Huh? You were willing! You screamed my name and pledged your love for me."

"Yeah, well, sex does things to people!"

"Oh, and you know from experience?" Yami asked.

"My ex boyfriend raped me!" Yugi screamed.

"Yeah? See what happends? You thought you knew him. You got to spend time with him and you got to know everything about him. And he betrays you. I learn one or two things about you and I swear I'll never do that to you!"

"Oh yeah?" Yugi said, crossing his arms over his chest. "What's gonna stop you from going onto your next destination? I know people like you. You're a drifter. The road is your home!" Yugi swung his arm out in the direction of the front window.

"So go home!" Yugi yelled. "You know you want to! I'm just the next person involved in one of your one night stands!"

"I'm standing right here Yugi! I'm not going anywhere!"

"But you will!"

"If you don't know enough about me, who are you to make these accusations?" Yami asked.

"You don't know me either Yami!" Yugi protested. "You drew up your picture of me when you first saw me! You saw an inocent boy who would be really easy to lay!"

"Well, guess what? You were! You took me to your bed on your own!"

"I wasn't thinking!" Yugi said. "I'm only human."

"So am I. And I have human emotions. Like my complete love for you Yugi!"

"You don't love me. You just love the sex!"

"What's the problem with last night?" Yami asked.

"I should have waited. I ran off with Seto mere days after meeting him. See the outcome? I don't know anything about you. Sex is giving myself to you and yourself to me. How can I give myself to someone I don't even know?"

"You forgave me. At the wilderness. Remember?" Yami asked, his voice growing soft.

"Yes, forgave you. It's not like I married you Yami." Yugi said. "Just telling me one little thing about your life doesn't mean I know who you are as a person. Like, what are your dreams? What's your favorite food? What do you want to do before you die? Those are the kind of things I want to know before devoting myself to someone."

"Well, you did when we made love last night. So I'm an open book now," Yami insisted.

Yugi's eyes filled with tears and he shook his head. "I can't Yami. My trust is gone now." He motioned toward the door.

"You're going to leave one of these days. Make it today."

Yami shook his head. "I love you Yugi!"

Yugi shook his head. "It's not love you feel Yami. Sex involves love. Love involves knowing the person. You can't love without knowing them. Just because I had sex with you doesn't mean we're in love. Love at first sight doesn't exist."

"I think it does," Yami said. "And I love you Yugi."

"I don't care. That's your problem. Just get out."

Yami looked out the window. "It's raining."

Yugi shrugged. "You won't get dehydrated then."

The two men stood staring at each other for a while before Yami finally walked out the door. After watching his love walk out the door, Yugi collapsed in the chair and cried.

_The next day..._

Yami went through the motions at work yet again, feeling like a robot. He hadn't even made an attempt to see Yugi again. Even though the walk to the photography shop was short, Yami hadn't made the effort. He had taken midnight rides on his bike through Yugi's neighborhood, but he never stopped in front of his house.

It had begun to rain again that evening. Yami left his shift and began walking to a hotel. To his complete and total surprise, Yugi stood under the canope of a pizza shop, smoking.

"Yugi!"

Yugi's head snapped in the direction of Yami's voice. He glared as Yami approached him. He tossed his cigarrette into the gutter and began walking ahead of Yami, taking larger and faster steps.

"Yugi please! Let's just have a rational talk here!"

"Go away!" Yugi yelled back.

"I haven't left Yugi! I'm not going to!"

Without a word, Yugi turned into a dark alleyway.

**1704071347083142708193247148023973142809728341078234010177348178**

That's the next chapter! Please review and maybe this cliffie won't go as long as some others go. Please and thank you!


	7. A Wanted Hero

Ok, perhaps I should tell you about my close call I had last week. My mom is a librarian and she went to a convention for four days for libraries. She came back with a booklet called "A library guide to anime." I looked at it and saw that it had some terms such as doujinshi, and shounenai- words I use on the phone with friends on a daily basis. I asked her for it and she did, after she read it. I accidentally said "shounen-ai" instead of "shonen jump" at one point mere minutes after looking at the booklet. I covered it up, saying shounenai was a manga. Luckily, she didn't say anything about it after she read it. She just told me that she trusts my judgement. So that was my weekend last week. Seriously, I was frozen mentally while I was waiting for her to read it.

Here's the next chapter... Reminder that I don't own Yugioh

**1390787422222289071865726507111194848484868504611306787894658277**

Yami began to sprint into the alleyway. He suddenly heard muffled yells. Or at least that's what they sounded like. The alley turned a corner behind the pizza parlor. The sounds continued. Maybe he was being paranoid. It was probably just talking.

"Yugi!" he screamed. No answer.

Yami picked up speed and turned the corner. His eyes widened as he saw a man in a black mask cover Yugi's mouth, a large bag in his hand. His other arm was around Yugi's squirming body. His back was to Yami and he was yelling.

"Shut up! I gotta gun! Get it? You talk, you die. Be quiet squirt!"

Tears filled Yami's eyes and everything went into slow motion. The man brought his arm up and brought his hand down on Yugi's face in a hard slap accross the face.

"No!" Yami screamed.

The man turned and looked at Yami. The skimask allowed Yami to only see his eyes. But it was enough to see the evil in the man.

"Hey you!" the man yelled. "Say you won't talk and I won't shoot ya!" He tilted his head, motioning towards the gun sticking out of his back pocket.

"Let him go!" Yami yelled.

"What's gonna stop him from talking?"

Yami took a couple steps forward. "What's gonna stop me from beating the living shit out of you?"

The man removed his hand from Yugi's mouth and put his hand to his pocket.

"I'm warning you. I had no problem robbing the bank and I'll have no problem shooting you!"

In an instant, the gun was out of the man's pocket and was in Yami's hands. Out of shock, the man let his captor go. Yugi fell to the ground but quickly got to his feet and ran around the dumpster. He crouched down and watched Yami.

Yami held the gun up into the guy's face. He put his hands up and began shaking.

"Hey man, calm down. I wasn't gonna do nothing to that kid!"

Yami nodded. "You sure as hell weren't. I'm in town now. And that's my koi!"

Yami glanced around, only moving his eyes to see where Yugi had gone to. He caught sight of the boy peeking out from behind the dumpster. He was visibly shaking and his eyes shone with fear. Yami's eyes softened. He looked back at the robber.

"I'm not gonna kill you," he said softly, tossing the gun aside.

The man put his arms down and smiled inside. He opened his mouth to speak but stopped when he saw the stranger in front of him smirk.

"I'm just gonna beat the crap out of you so you can feel the pain that you inflicted on others and my angel!"

The robber's eyes widened and he soon found himself with a broken jaw. Another punch came, this time to the stomach. Then a kick. He fell to the ground, clutching his stomach. Yami kept the kicks and punches coming. Yugi watched with wide eyes.

Everything went back to slow motion. Yami continued to beat the man senceless and Yugi watched, hypnotized by Yami's efforts the save him. Yugi was the only one who noticed the red and blue lights flash into the alley from the street. Two police officers ran to the scene and tore a furious Yami off of the robber. More officers ran to them and cuffed the masked man. Yugi stayed put.

"What the heck were you doing" one officer asked Yami.

"He robbed the bank, he told me. He had a hostage and I just had to save him!" Yami insisted.

The officers looked at each other and nodded. One officer who was walking behind the robber stopped beside Yami and frowned. Yami frowned back.

"What?" he asked.

"You look familiar," the officer said.

Yami shrugged. "I look like Yugi Muuto, I know."

The robber was passed off to another officer as the one walked around Yami, examining him almost.

"Robert, hand me the wanted booklet," he ordered another officer.

Yami raised an eyebrow as the man leafed through a small notebook. It had pictures and or descriptions of people.

"Ha! I knew it! Yami Atemu, wanted in California and Arizona for not paying child support for Rebecca and Maria!"

Those names were familiar to Yami. His eyes widened. Two girls he'd been with over the past year. He was a father? What? He hadn't known! How was he supposed to. He desperately looked around, trying to make sence of it all.

"Robert, let's take him downtown," the officer said, a satisfied smile crossing his face. "Trying to run away from responsibility, eh? Not going to work Mr. Atemu."

"Wait, I didn't even know they gave birth!" he yelled as he was cuffed. "I didn't mean it!"

Yami was led away, yelling protests and appologies. The officers read him his rights and he hung his head. He looked back to catch Yugi's eye one last time.

Once the commotion had left him, Yugi stepped out of his hiding place, tears flowing down his cheeks.

**1789024574304332470849570327478034780494317134341334341143367**


	8. True Believer

Hello to all readers who are either angry or satisfied with the last chapter. But like I said at the end of the last chapter, you can't have a story without a plot, and you can't have a plot without a conflict. And/or an evil plot twist. Don't worry, after this, there are only two chapters left. And there is a heat wave up here, so I haven't been able to get to the library to update more.

Y.Aurora: You know you're having fun torturing them!

Aurora: Shut up. Perhaps it is a little fun, as long as they don't kill me. If they do, we'll never reach the ending.

Y.Aurora: Torture in the form of plot twists!

Aurora: …Again, sorry if you're unhappy, but there is light at the end of the tunnel. Go ahead and read now.

**7134017983427089578095370981718092378910423718934207 **

Yami sat on the bed, his head in his hands. He couldn't bear to just stare at the bars in front of him. Pacing wouldn't help either. The only thing to do was to sit and wallow. He'd just seen the judge after waiting for two days. She had lowered the original sentence when he provided enough evidence that he never even knew that his former mistresses had even been pregnant in the first place. She explained that that was enough to send him free, but also said that the two women wanted money out of this one way or another.

His sentence was $50,000 in bail.

He groaned as the thought came back to him. He was trapped. He would never get that kind of money unless he worked at the burger joint for a few years. Along with the stress of the bail, he hadn't had one visitor. And there was only one possible person who would visit him, if he hadn't screwed up, literally.

Yami pounded the thin mattress with his fist and laid down, his back towards the barred door. He squeezed his eyes closed, trying to get rid of the nightmare all over again. He opened hi eyes to see a white brick wall in front of him. It didn't work again.

Footsteps echoed in the narrow hallway. Yami covered his head with the pillow. He couldn't bear to watch the officers escorting another visitor down the hallway. A visitor for someone else.

A bang came to Yami's ears and he jumped. The officer had banged something on someone's cell bars.

"Atemu, get up!" he scolded. Yami quickly followed the order and sat up on the bed.

"You got a visitor, are you willing to see him?"

Yami's eyes widened. "O-of course!" he stammered.

The officer disappeared from sight. He was replaced by Yugi, who sat on the small bench across the hall from Yami's cell.

"Yugi…" Yami started, but his voice wouldn't let him say anything further.

Yugi's eyes were downcast and he stared at the floor, not letting his eyes meet Yami's.

"How long will you be here?" he asked quietly.

"Until I can pay bail," Yami said, the tone of his voice matching Yugi's.

"How much is that?"

"50 grand."

Yugi nodded slowly. "You have that much?"

Yami shook his head. A long lull followed that, neither man knowing what to say.

Yugi sighed and finally spoke after what seemed like an eternity. "Thank you for saving me…"

Yami looked up to see that Yugi's eyes were looking up at him. He nodded.

"I couldn't just stand there and let him hurt you Yugi," Yami said quietly. "You're too important to me."

Yugi shook his head. "You still believe in love at first sight?" he asked.

Yami nodded. "As myself as a witness, I do believe in it. And deep down, you believe in it too."

"This is the real world Yami. I grew up in a Japanese family too. Growing up, my parents always taught me to believe in spirits who protect me." Yugi shook his head. "I stopped believing in spirits and other things like that after my first love betrayed me."

"I'm here Yugi. You can believe again. I saved you in two ways as far as I know."

Yugi raised an eyebrow. "What's the second way?"

Yami smiled. "You opened up to me Yugi. You took me to your valley. You took me into your home. You took your first step towards healing from your first man!"

Yugi shuffled his feet nervously.

"But, you are a liar you know." Yami pointed out.

Yugi's head snapped up, a glare sat on his face, making his nose crinkle a little. Yami thought it was another cute feature of Yugi's.

"Excuse me?" Yugi snapped.

"You say you don't believe in unworldly things and anything spiritual? At the valley you did. The look I saw in your eyes… You were talking to your parents weren't you? You ask them for forgiveness too."

"Shut up! You don't know what's going on in my mind there!"

Yami scoffed. "You told me up front what you do there. See, you opened up to me more than you care to admit."

Yugi shook his head furiously. "What about you? You can't say that you haven't lied to me!"

Yami's eyes softened and he looked at the floor himself. "You know you're right. I haven't been totally honest about the women I've been with."

Yugi crossed his arms over his chest. "You don't say," he said sarcastically. "The two women who had your children and who got you here in the first place?"

Yami nodded. "Only two of the women I've been with. I never bothered to count how many I've slept with since I arrived in America. I stop in the towns for a job to get gas money. Women then throw themselves on me. I keep them waiting until I know I have enough money to go on, I quit, and then stop their waiting. I give them one night and then go on."

Yugi's eyes narrowed and he shook his head. "How could you do that?!" he cried. "Those poor women! Waking up and finding out that you left."

"I know it's horrible of me to do that. But did you notice a difference between what I did to those women, and what I've done with you?"

Yugi threw his arms up. "Let's see, you came, you got a job, you banged me... Yeah, I don't see a difference."

"You're the first person I've ever pursued Yugi. Usually, the women are the ones who are falling all over me, but this time, I'm not being pursued. Yugi, I'm the pursuer."

Yugi looked up.

"And I didn't leave you in the middle of the night Yugi. That alone should say something!"

Yugi opened his mouth to speak, but he soon found that he had no clue what to say.

"I'm serious about you Yugi. But I can't do anything from inside here. You don't know how much I want to hold you, to kiss you again, and make love to you. And I'd be there in the morning to kiss you and be with you even more. I promise that Yugi."

Yugi stood up.

Tears threatened to fall from Yami's eyes. "I make that promise for the day I get out of here. If that day ever comes…" his voice drifted off. "Until then, the only thing I can do to comfort myself is to say your name to myself."

Yugi walked up to Yami and held his hand up to the bars. Yami reached out and touched his fingers to Yugi's.

"Yugi…" Yami whispered.

"I still don't know if I believe Yami. But maybe one day I will."

Yami shook his head. "Yugi."

"Come on Muuto, time's up," an officer ordered, beckoning Yugi towards the hallway door.

Yami's eyes widened and desperation to keep his koi close to him ran through his body as a strong adrenaline that personified itself as a sudden pain that went shooting through his body.

"Yugi!" he screamed.

Yugi removed his fingers from Yami's and walked to the door without looking back, leaving Yami screaming out his name over and over. This time, it didn't comfort him.

**THANKGODTHISMOMENTSNOTHELASTTHERESONLYUS **

Yeah, I know what you're thinking. 'What the hell is going on here? What's she thinking?' But never fear, I have it all planned out.

But the bad news is that it's summertime. Also known as, summer vacation. And I'm going on vacation. Originally, I was going to Florida, but my stupid parents waited til the last second to plan so we're only driving around the state we live in. Either way, I'm leaving this weekend and the heat is keeping me inside. It's like, 95 F/38 C here! Anywho, please review and I'll try to get a chapter in before band camp! Thankies!


	9. Prisoners

Ok, I just had to type this before I leave. If only to make you and even me happy.

**10937784879024287094720437047482730927020293270332043720416956976**

_Yugi ran down the street, his large duffel bag bouncing on the pavement behind him as he ran. Tears streamed down his face and he looked behind him again. He wasn't following this time. Still, Yugi picked up his pace. He could jump out of a corner at any moment._

_Yugi ran up to the curb and threw his arm up in the air, waving it frantically. He looked over his shoulder numerous times when he saw a taxi approaching._

_"Taxi!" he cried. _

_The yellow car sped past him without even the slightest sign that the driver had heard him. It sped past him, splashing water from a nearby puddle at Yugi. He groaned and sat down on the curb. He burried his face in his hands (making sure not to touch around his black eye) and began to cry._

"Yugi!"

The sound of Joey's voice woke Yugi up from his daydream.

"You ok?"

Yugi nodded. "I'm fine. I'm just...thinking."

"Sounds like you have. What's the guy's name again?" Joey asked, taking a big bite of his sandwich.

The two former roommates sat in the town deli. Yugi had just told Joey everything about Yami from the time they met, to his visit to the county prison the day before. Well, everything except for the fact that he loved him.

Yugi sighed. "His name is Yami."

"Japanese, huh?"

Yugi nodded.

"Wasn't Seto?"

Yugi nodded again. "Joey, is it wrong to hide things from people you care about?"

"Like what?"

"Like, even the fact that you care about the person."

Joey looked up from his food. "You love him?"

"No!" Yugi stammered, but then he hung his head. "Yes..."

"You had a point when you said that sex involves loving the person. Therefore, there's no problem!"

"But we don't know each other Joey! We've only known each other for just over a week. And we had sex after only knowing each other for a couple of days."

Joey shrugged. "Hey, love at first sight pal. You guys can't control it. But I think this guy's really serious about you. And you about him."

"But how can I be in love with him?"

Joey smiled. "Love is mysterious and even I don't understand it. You did open up to him. He saved your life, even after you told him you never want to see him again. You love him now more than you did Seto. Heck, you probably love him more now than you did during the sex! Just make sure he knows ok?"

Yugi sighed and stood up. He handed Joey a ten dollar bill.

"My treat. And you know I don't believe in that stuff."

"You're the one hiding things from yourself here Yugi. I just think you should know that."

Yugi left with a scowl on his face and went to work. He set up some pillows on the floor and scattered some exotic flower petals on the floor. His next clients were a couple on their one year wedding anniversery and had requested a romantic setting. He picked up his clipboard and went downstairs to the lobby.

"Carl and Jenny?" he called.

The young couple stood up. Yugi noticed right off the bat that they were hodling hands and continued to as they went upstairs. Glancing back, he noticed they were smiling a lot too. He frowned. Botox, he thought.

"Well, just sit on the floor there and, um, we can get started. I'll let you two decide how you want to sit." Yugi instructed.

Carl and Jenny sat down on one of Yugi's cushions. Carl yelped as his wife sat on his leg. She quickly got off and the two broke into a laughing fit. He held his face in her hands and their wedding rings seemed to glow brightly to show the world their union. They held each other and gave each other eskimo kisses. They looked so happy. Yugi just stood with his camara and watched.

_That night..._

Yugi slumped into his couch with a bag of Oreos in his lap. He grabbed the remote and turned on the TV. The TV Guide sat on his coffee table, but he didn't bother to reach for it. He was too tired and too distracted. Channel surfing seemed the way to go.

Flipping through the channels, he frowned. Nothing he cared for was on. It was late an all the baseball games were almost done, same for most movies. And he really didn't have a taste for many late night shows. They reminded him too much of New York. Rolling his eyes, he ventured into the area of channels that was always full of soap operas and girly movies. He only watched when he was extrememly bored.

He paused for only a moment at each station before moving on. But one channel caught his eye, and he flipped back. He leaned forward and began watching the movie. He pressed the info button on the remote to see the title. _Moulin Rouge._ He hadn't seen that in a while, but he didn't quite care for musicals. He picked up the remote and was ready to change to a different channel when the lyrics to the song stopped him.

_Never knew, I could feel like this  
Like I've never seen the sky before  
Want to vanish inside your kiss  
Everyday I love you more than this  
Seasons may change, winter to spring  
But I love you until the end of time_

Yugi's breath quickened and tears filled his eyes. The meaning of the lyrics stung him and guilt hit him hard. He quickly turned off the TV and fell onto the couch. He began to cry.

"Oh Yami..." he whispered. "I'm so sorry. I love you!" The final three words were louder, but they traveled through an empty house, where no one but Yugi heard them. Feeling lonely again, Yugi pulled out a blanket from the closet and curled back up on the couch. Before closing his eyes, he glanced to the corner and looked at the bouquet of brown, wilting roses. Why Yami hadn't noticed them was a mystery to Yugi, but he would see them again soon. Yugi fell into a restless sleep, thinking out his future that would hopefully be spent with the one he loved.

_Meanwhile..._

Yami tossed and turned on his bed as he slept. In his dream, was running and running through a series of dark passageways. He was following Yugi, though he couldn't see him. Somehow, he felt him getting farther and farther away. He kept screaming his name over and over again, but Yugi never turned around.

One more corner. Yami picked up his speed and turned toward Yugi. He was met with the barrel of a gun. The gunman pulled the trigger-

"Aaahhh!" Yami sat up, sweating. He curled his legs up to his body and wrapped his arms around them. He bowed his head.

"Yugi..." he whispered. "It's up to you." Only Yugi could believe in love at first sight. Only Yugi could free Yami of his mental prison. Only Yugi was allowed to love Yami. Only, Yugi didn't believe he could.

Alone in his cell, Yami began to cry. But somewhere outside, someone cried out to him.

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And there you have it! Chapter 10 will probably come after I get home. It will be my last update before band camp. I just want to finish before then so I won't keep you guys waiting for two weeks possibly. Please review! And I'll try to survive spending time with my family for you all! Thanks as always!


	10. Repairing the Road

Hello all! I'm back from vacation! I begin band camp next Monday, so this might be my last update on anything for at least a week. I want to spend as much time doing summer stuff as possible. This is the last chapter of this story. Sad, I know. I do have a good idea for a one-shot that I'll _hopefully _put up before school starts on Aug. 22. After that, I won't be around much. I probably won't do any stories for the holidays. Stupid snow won't let me ride my bike to the library...

Oh well, the future will play itself out soon enough and we'll find out how often I'll be around. In the present, enjoy the last chapter!(I don't own this song)

_And I know that we're gonna be fine.  
And the tattooed mistakes  
Are gonna fade over time.  
As long as we live, time passes by.  
And we won't get it back when we die_

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Yami ran his hand through his hair for the millionth time while going through his situation again in his head. He determined, yet again, that he was probably going to be stuck there for as long as time allowed him to stay. At the moment, time was telling him forever. Unless fate were to interfere with time. Fate and love.

Yami followed the indents in the wall between the bricks with his finger. He'd already used up his TV and exersize times today, so there was nothing left to do but daydream. He closed his eyes and continued to trace the wall. Yugi's face was the first thing that appeared in his mind. It was no surprise to the man. He let his daydream carry out. The imaginary Yugi frowned when he saw Yami smile at him. Yami tilted his head and opened his arms for Yugi. What was a surprise to Yami was that though Yugi was frowning, he came into his arms and kissed him on the lips.

The imaginary backround turned into a beautiful forest with waterfalls and trees. Yugi tore himself from Yami's grip and took his hand. Now, he was smiling. He led Yami to the stream leading away from the falls. They were barefoot, but the rocks didn't hurt Yami's feet. He just let his eyes follow Yugi's every movement. Yugi began to run down the stream. Yami followed, not letting their hands part. When they stopped at the bottom of the falls, Yugi turned to Yami. He opened his mouth to speak-

"Atemu!"

Yami jolted himself out the beautiful vision and sat up on the bed.

"Yeah?"

"You got a visitor again. You want to see him?"

Yami's jaw dropped. It took him a moment to nod his answer. While the officer went to get the visitor, Yami took a couple deep breaths and tried to register the words in his mind. Visitor? It could only be one person. But what could be the purpose of the visit. Did he believe? Or was he just there to mock Yami in his low point. Or maybe, he was running off somewhere and coming to say goodbye. Yami's eyes widened. Maybe he found someone else. A new boyfriend. Yami quivered at the possiblities.

When he heard footsteps echoing down the hall, Yami stood and resisted running towards the bars. Sure enough, Yugi sat on the bench accross from him again. His face was straight and his hands were burried in his pockets.

"Hi," Yami said.

Yugi nodded. "Hey."

Yami tried a smile, but it dissapeared after only a few seconds. Yugi's face still showed no emotion at all. He looked right at Yami this time, rather than the floor.

"How are you?" Yugi asked.

Yami's eyebrows scrunched together at the question be he finally answered. "I'm okay."

"How's the food?"

"Could be better."

"Bed comfy?"

"Hard as a rock."

"You want out, huh?"

Yami nodded. "Hey, I have a question."

Yugi shrugged. "Shoot."

"What's with the questions?"

Yugi's face finally broke into a smile. "Just wait, there's only one more question left. And it should be easy."

Yami nodded and motioned for Yugi to continue.

"Do you love me?"

Yami's eyes widened when he heard the question. He looked up at Yugi right after the question was asked to see the expression on his face. Yugi was smiling brightly. The smile that Yami hadn't seen since they'd made love.

"Well?" Yugi said when Yami didn't speak.

Now it was Yami's turn to smile. "Of course I do."

"How much?" Yugi asked.

Yami smirked. "I thought you'd already asked your last question."

Yugi giggled. "There might be more."

Yami nodded. "From the earth to the end of the universe and back a billion times. That's how much I love you."

Yugi stood and approached Yami. He reached through the bars and took Yami's hands in his.

"No fair," he whispered. "You took my answer."

Yami gasped and tightened his grip on Yugi's hand. "Yugi..."

Yugi smiled and ran his fingers along the creases in Yami's palms. "I love you Yami. I believe."

Yami was at a loss for words. He awkwardly leaned forward and stuck his face between two bars. Not being able to stretch his face out further than an inch, he motioned with his mouth that he wanted a kiss. Yugi laughed out loud. Yami swore that the laugh had to be what angels sound like when they sing. Yugi leaned forward himself and kissed Yami's lips. Yami revisited the magical place he found himself in whenever Yugi's lips were touching his. Yugi smiled into the kiss and they held the kiss until Yami pulled away.

"What?" Yugi asked.

"The bars were digging into the sides of my face," Yami said, rubbing his cheekbones.

Yugi nodded. "Sorry. That's actually another one of my questions."

Yami chuckled. "I should have seen that coming."

"How would you spend your time if you were free again?"

Yami smiled. "I'd hold you forever and never let go."

Yugi nodded. "That's what I figured." He motioned with his head. Yami looked down the hall to see the officer come down the hall with his keys. Yami's eyes widened as a key was slid into the keyhole of his cell. The door slid open and the officer nodded.

"This young man paid your bail. Your clothes are in the room to the left down the hall," was all the officer said before dissapearing through another door. Yami looked at Yugi feeling confused, relieved, and grateful all at the same time.

"Though there is a condition," Yugi said.

"Anything my love," Yami gasped.

"You take me with you."

Yami frowned. "What?"

Yugi shrugged. "You're bound to go somewhere after this. It's the way you live. I want to be a part of your life. So, I want to go with you on your next journey."

Yami shook his head. "No, Yugi, you have a life here! I'll stay here with you."

Yugi held up a hand. "Can't do that. My friend Joey has already bought my house for an art studio. All I have left are some of my stuff and the truck. I'm ready to follow you wherever you go."

Yami shook his head. "Yugi...I don't know what to say."

Yugi smiled. "But, I'll only do this if you agree that we come back here for the wedding."

"Wedding?"

Yugi nodded. "Like you said, my life is here, and so are my friends. I want to have our wedding here so they can see it."

Yami smirked. "Who said we're getting married?"

Yugi wrapped his arms around Yami's waist and leaned up to whisper in his ear. "Is that a yes then?" he asked.

Yami pulled Yugi back to look at him. He held the boy's face in his hands and caressed his cheeks with his thumbs. "Read my lips," he whispered. He then pulled Yugi into a passionate kiss that Yugi quickly responded to. They stood there kissing for who knows how long, knowing the future would be bright.

_As time went on..._

Yami's motorcycle had been taken by the city due to it just sitting in the restrant parking lot for too long. But he didn't mind. He and Yugi were able to sit together in the truck as they drove to places like Dallas, Memphis, Nashville, and Mytle Beach. Yugi had made sure he brought as much of his money as possible from back home. He and Yami were able to get hotel rooms on most nights. But other times, when they were in the mountains, they prefered to sleep in the back of the truck and stargaze.

The first time they made love since Yami getting out of prison happened to be in the back of Yugi's truck. Both were surprised at the passion they showed, but then again they weren't. Feeling each other's touch after yearning all that time was electrifying.

Yami kept his side of the bargain. He made sure to return to Texas for the wedding. It was simple, which was what Yugi wanted, along with Yami's commitment. They were married two years after they first met, to the date. Up until then, they had been traveling, and then butting heads with the Texan government over the legality of the union. Whenever Yugi would get frustrated with it, Yami would pick up his efforts and sometimes tested his limits and Yugi would be the one to calm him down. In the end, they won with Yami's convincing (and sometimes fists and money) and showing persistance with their love.

After they were married, they stayed in town for a while and finally agreed on a place to settle down after some fighting. Yami wanted to live in a big city while Yugi prefered to stay in a small town somewhere. They finally decided on an island off the coast of North Carolina. Yugi loved the ocean view and Yami liked that there was a semi-busy thriving town nearby. Yugi found a new photography practice while Yami finally found a suitable job (at least to him an Yugi) working in a fancy sit-down restrant on the island.

They went back to Texas often to visit the valley. They tried to come for any holiday or just whenever they felt they needed forgivness and to reminice. After that, they would drive back home down a not so broken road. They repaired their many mistaken trails with their love.

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And there you have it! I'm really happy with how this turned out! Hopefully I'll put of that one-shot soon. I love all my reviewers and I thank all of you for reading! Thank you soooooooo much!


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